Moving-picture apparatus.



No. 845,551. PATENTED PEB. 26,1907. H. s. a@ L. sAAGs.

MUVING PICTURE PPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1906:

'narran sfraris PATENT onirica.

HENRYS. ISAACS, OF BRADDOCK, AND LEO ISACS, OF ALLEGHENY,

f PENNSYLVANIA.

- trovino-morons .iiei'iifaauis.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patentes Feb. 2e, 1907.

Application iiled liay 22,1906. Serial No. 318,134.

ratus, of' which the following is a specication, reference being had therein to the ac* comp anying drawings.

This. invention relates to I notion-picture` machines, and more particularly to means for winding and .unwinding the film strip employed in apparatus of this characten I-leretofore in all of the various types of so-called motion-picture apparatus the pictures are contained on a continuous strip of' film and said strip is wound upon a spool or reel mounted uponA a suitable shaft, the outer end of the strip being passed into the machine and fed into proper position to be acted upon by the stercopticon, which forms an essential feature of these machines. As the strip passes from the stereopticon 'it is wound upon a spool or reel, the result being that after the film strip has been entirely wound. upon. the receiving-rcel the end of the strip which was 'the outer end of the roll before the winding commenced on the inside of the coil or roll of film, and before the pictures can be produced again the entire strip must .be unwound from the receiving-reeland wound back upon the feed-reel in order to present the first picture 1n.v position tg be again fed into the stereopticonc.

The primary object of the present inven tion is to avoid the great loss of time and labor incident to .this unwinding' of the wound roll of iilm, and this we accomplish by providing mechanism whereby the coil or roll may be unwound from itsvinner ond or innermost convolution instead of from its outer end or outer convolution. Then after the roll is coiled upon a receiving-reel the coil is slipped o of said reel and placed upon a feed-disk and ao'ain fed tothe machine, un-

coiling as before zfrom its innermost convolution. Thus the usual unwinding of the coil. or roll before it'can be again used is obviated.

Theinvention consists., broadly, in a 4{ilmfceding mechanism for moti ori-picture Iachines comprising a revoluble suppoif, t`or a coil or roll of film, means wherclfy-said'-cotl is unwound from its center or inner convolution, and a receivingereel.

The invention consists, further, in a feed device for Imotion-picture machines comprising a revoluble feed-disk` to support a coil or roll of films, means whereby said coil or 'roll may be unwound from its center or inner convolution, and a receiving-reclfrom which the wound strip or coil is` adapted to oe-removed. The invention also includes certain novel features of construction, which will be fully described hereinafter inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and defined in the, appended claims.

. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention, the stereopticon being conventionally represented, as it forms no part of the present invention. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of the device, the strip of film being in section, as indicated b the line :z: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudina section of the receiving-reel on the line y y of Fig. 1'. Fig. 4 is a section on the line w w of Fig. 3.. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of' the feed-disk, and Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a modification. The invention is susceptible of embodiment-in avariety of forms and constructions of apparatus, and the drawings illustrate a simple arrangement of parts capable of carrying out the invention.

The reference-numeral 1 designates a box or casing supported by legs 2 and having one of its sides yhinged at its lower edge to theV bottom ofthe box to' provide a door 3, formed with a central vertical slot 4 and provided with acatch orfastening -5 of an suitable. construction. One end wall` of tie box or casing is formed with a horizontal slot 6.

- Below the casing 1 is arranged a blockl 7, servingas a support for a feed-disk 8, the lat-A ter having a centrally-depending stud 9 fitting a bearing 10, form'ed in the block Bef low the disk 8 and concentric therewith is a belt-pulleyll, fixed to the disk to revolve the same.l Rising from the base-block 7 is a bail 12, spanning the disk- S and serving 'as a guide for the film strip, a roller 1.3 being mounted upon said bail, over which lthe strip passes, as will be morfu'lly explained hereinafter.

IOO

`sition upon the feed-disk 8. this removal ofthe coil or roll of tl 'lhe numeral i4 designates ashaft supporil metal) is slightly compressed to permit it to ed in, bearings in the sides of the easing` the lower end ol' the slot 4 serving as one oll said bearings` is mounted :i reel l5, upon which the film strip is wound. and said shaft is extended bel`pon this shaft within the easing vond one side oli the casing, where it is sup- I ported hy a lnaclnt-heariiig lli.y l'pon the extended end of" the shatt ll is mounted a belt-pulley 17, said pulley e v.".esl,iomlingl in diameter to that ol' the pulle)v ll below the disk.` Mounted in bracket-hearings 1ts`,pro; ject-mg from the block T. are two guide-pulleys 19, under which the driving-belt. 2U passes.

volves the disk 8 as well as the reel lkand al the same rate of speed. .i-Xdjacent to the casing 1 1s a suitable stereopticon, through guide-pulleys .21 and 22. This strip also passes between a pair ot guide-rollers 23, supported in horizontal position outside of the end slot 6 of' the casinghyb ticket-bearings 24.

The end of the shaft 14 opposite to that which carries the pulley 17 is squared to reoeivc a removable crank-handle 25.

Projecting from the upper face of the disk are a number ot pins 26, adapted to support the coil or roll of film 27 in position on the disk.

The operation of the mechanism constructed and arranged as thus described is as follows-` The roll or coil 27 is placed upon the disk 8 and supported thereon by the pinsQG. The inner end of the strip is then )assed over the guide-roller 13, under the pulley 21, over the pulley 22, and between the guide-rollers 23 to the reel 15, around which it is wound. Thus the tilm strip is brought into proper position within the stereopticon,and as the shaft 14 is revolved by the crank 25 the strip is gradually uncoiled from the center, ars illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, and wound upon the' reel 15. After the strip has been all Wound upon the reel the crank 25 is removed from the shaft 14 and the door 3 of the casing is opened to permit ol' the coiled strip being slipped oft of the reel and returned to its po- To accom )lish ie film irom the receiving-reel 15, We preferably secure the reel upon the shaft 14 by means of a removable key 2S, and by removing said key the reel may be readilyfslipped fromv the shaft; and'then'withdrawn from the center of the coillandieplaced upon the shaft.

In .Fig 6 we have shown a modified construction of receiving-reel, which is similar to that shown in Fig. 4, exce t that an additional element is employer, consisting of a longitudinally-split sleeve 29, fitting upon the reel. The film strip is ivound upon th is sleeve, and when the'wound coil is to be removed the sleeve (which is preferably of thin sheet be readihY drawn out ol` the renter o'l1 the coil. 'lhis eompressihle sleeve or other like means ma)v he employed to facilitate the removal of the eoil wit hout removing the shal't- 14, which latter is retained in position by pins 30, cxtending through the shaft on opposite sides oll the adjacent side wall oi' the easing, or other suit able ret :liningr devices.

lt is ohvions that our improvement entirely a voids the usual rewinding ol` the strip, thus-ell`ertingI a material saving of time and rendering the operation of motion-picture l machines practically continuous with the-use This belt passes around the pulleys 1l and 17. and the revolution of the shalt l-l thus reof a single strip ol" film.

lt will he understood that the invention 1s L not restricted to either the construction or precise relative arrangement of parts shown i in the drawings, but includes all such modiwlnch the film strip extends, passing over i tications and 'variations in the details as may he resorted to without departing from the spirit ot the invention as defined in the claims,

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. I `il1n-feeding mechanism for motionpicture machines, com ising a revoluble support for a coil or rol of films, means for unwinding said coil from its center or inner convolution, and a receiving-reel.

2. Film-feeding mechanisnttor motionpicture machines, com rising a revoluble support lor a coil or rol of films, means for unwinding` said coil from its center or inner convolution, a receiving-reel, and means for removing the wound coil from the receivingreel.

3. Film-feeding mechanism for motionpicture machines comprisinfr a revoluble support lor a coil or rol of films, means for .unwinding said coil from its center or inner convolution, means for guiding the strip of film in its passage through a stereopticon, a receiving-reel', and means for removing the coilor roll from the receiving-reel.

4.. The combination with a motion-picture machine, of film-feeding mechanism coinprising a revoluble support for a coil or roll of films, means for unwinding said coil from itscenter or inner convolution, a receivin i reel, and means' for revolving said revolub e support, and snldreel at the same speed.

5. Film-feeding Ymechanism for motionpicture machines, comprising a horizontallydisposed feed-disk, to support a coil or roll of film, means for-unwindmg said coil from its center, or inner convolution, a receiving- Areel, means for removing the coil or roll from said reel, and means for revolving said disk and reel at -the same speed.

6. F ilm-feeding mechanism for motionpicture machines, comprising a horizontallydisposed revoluble feed-disk, means for supporting a coil or roll of film thereon, guiderollersv whereby the coil may be unwound IOC IIC

ISO

from its center or inner convolution, a reably secured on said shaft, means for reeeivingdecl, and means for removing the i volving, said disk and reel in unison, and a coil or roll therefrom.

7. Film-feeding mechanism for mot1onplcture machines, comprising a horizontallydisposed revoluble feed-disk, a pulley con' centric with said disk, means whereby the coil muy he unwound from its center or inner convolution, a receiving-reelA mounted upon :i shalt, means for removing the coil `from said reel, a pulley on said shaft, equal in diameter to that of the disk-pulley, and a belt and guide )ulleys for revolving said disk und reel simultaneously. l

8. ln a 'l'ilm-feeding apparatus for motion pictures, the combination with a revoluble feed-disk, and means thereon for supporting a coil or roll oi' ihn, of al roller for guiding the film as it unwinds from the center of the coil, a receiving-roll, means for revolving said disk and reel in unison, and means whereby the coil or roll may be removed from the reel and replaced upon the disk.

9. ln a motion-picture npparatusy the E combination with a stereopticon, of a revoluble feed-disk, means thereon for supporting acoil or roll of iilm, a shaft supported adjacent to said disk, a receiving-reel remov series of guide-rollers whereby the coil is un- ,wound from its center, )assed through the stereopticon and then coiled upon the reel.

10'.y The combination with a stereoptioon, of a easing, a revoluble shaft mounted therein, a reel removably mounted on said shaft, a slotted door for said easing serving es one of the bearings for said shaft, a ieed-d1sk revolubly supported adjacent to said reel, to support e coil of film, means for revolving said reel and disk in unison, and guides whereby said coil maybe unwound from its center or inner convolution.

11. Means for unwinding e coil or roll of material from its center orinner convolution, com rising a revoluble support for the coil or roll, guides over which the materia-l passes as it leaves the eoil, and a receivingroll upon which the coil is rewound.

In testimony whereof We al'lix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY S. ISAACS. LEO ISAACS, litnesses MAX H. SRoLovrrz, F. O. MCCLEARY. 

